各位IT界朋友：

從香港至伊斯坦堡再回到白石角

過去幾個星期可算是香港近年最難過的時間，我和很多香港人的心情都像坐過山車似的，大起大落，但最後還是跌至谷底。我和其他幾位立法會議員與中聯辦張曉明主任會面時，其實不過是不足三星期前，當時我們還對中央聽取我們意見抱有一些希望，要求的不過是留下足夠空間，讓香港人繼續討論和爭取我們認為中央承諾給我們的民主普選。可惜，之後的發展可謂急轉直下，人大常委的決議竟然接納了最保守的篩選方案。

民主從來不是賜予的，我們必定會繼續以和平的手法，爭取真的民主選舉制度，並否決這種伊朗式民主框架下的篩選制度。

八月卅一日晚上，人大常委議決宣佈後，當晚我依照原定計劃飛到土耳其伊斯坦堡參加聯合國舉辦的2014互聯網管治論壇。伊斯坦堡是個美麗和充滿歷史的城市，亞歐文化交匯，伊斯蘭和基督教共存，可算是讓我的心靈呼吸一口新鮮空氣；不過，會議議程非常緊湊，除了我應邀在週五主持「鼓勵企業尊重互聯網用戶權利」的工作坊，也忙於與世界各地關注互聯網管治的新知舊友交流。

雖然人在異國，但仍然心繫香港科技界反對政府打算更改白石角規劃以出售原預留給科學園第四期土地事宜。週五城規會舉行會議，我不能出席發言，但得到我們公共專業聯盟副主席、從事IT行業但來自規劃界的吳永輝協助，聯同IT呼聲的林逸明，將會在會上陳述業界關注及反對意見。我們將繼續關注城規會就此事的討論及決定，為業界爭取應得的政府規劃重視。

莫乃光

資本壹週專欄—立會珠璣
2014.08.21：大數據分析與樹木管理
2014.08.14：科技鎖國 意欲何為？
2014.08.07：流動應用程式的私隱問題

eZone專欄
2014.08.28：匿名通訊的危與機
2014.08.07：安全港內有暗湧？

Dear IT friends,

From Hong Kong to Istanbul and back to Pak Shek Kok

The past few weeks were difficult times for Hong Kong. Emotionally many Hong Kong citizens like me felt like riding on a roller-coaster, only to fall to an abyss in the end. Indeed it was less than three weeks ago that I met with Director Zhang Xiaoming of the China Liaison Office, when we urged the central government to leave us sufficient room to try to achieve a true democracy framework that we were promised. Regrettably, in the end the NPC Standing Committee took the most conservative screening option.

Democracy will never be handed to us on a silver plate. We have to continue to fight for it in peaceful ways, and meanwhile reject the Iranian-style "democracy" -- indeed plain screening -- handed to us now.

On the night of August 31, after the NPC SC decision was announced, I flew to Istanbul, Turkey, as planned for the Internet Governance Forum 2014, organised by the United Nations. Istanbul is a beautiful and historic city, where Europe and Asia intersect, and Islam and Christianity co-exist. Here I let my mind catch a breath of fresh air. But, I still have to chair a workshop on Friday on "Fostering Respect by Companies for Internet Users' Rights," besides catching up with new and old friends involved in the global Internet governance development effort.

But then, I cannot get my minds off the Town Planning Board meeting on Friday back in Hong Kong, where the rezoning application of a plot of land in Pak Shek Kok originally earmarked for future Science Park development but now to be rezoned for private housing, will be discussed. Although I cannot be in the meeting, I have asked Mr Stanley Ng, Vice Chairman of the Professional Commons -- a surveying expert as well as IT practitioner -- to speak on my behalf, along with Mr Ken Lam of IT Voice. They will deliver the opposition to the rezoning application from our IT industry, and we will continue to monitor the deliberation and decision on this matter by the Town Planning Board.

Charles Mok